Laptop Not Connecting to WiFi

[throbmedal]

My laptop can't connect to my WiFi. One minute the WiFi was working, and the next minute it just dropped.

It can search for networks and a list of networks appears, but the one I use isn’t showing up.

I’ve tried network troubleshooting, but it didn’t work. I also tried booting in safe mode with networking enabled to find my network, but it didn’t work. Restarting the laptop multiple times hasn’t resolved the issue.

The WiFi on my Android phone works fine. It can find the network and connect without problems.

I suspect the issue is with Windows itself.

Any ideas on what I can do? I am using Windows 10 Pro.

 

[LanceBalance]

Hey @throbmedal, have you tried updating your WiFi driver? An outdated or corrupted driver can cause issues like this. Here's how you can update it:

1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
2. Find your network adapter under "Network adapters."
3. Right-click on your WiFi adapter and select "Update driver."
4. Choose "Search automatically for updated driver software."

If that doesn’t work, you might want to try uninstalling the WiFi driver and then restarting your laptop. Windows should reinstall the driver automatically when you reboot.

 

[fulfilledunsuitable]

It might be worth checking if your network is hidden. Sometimes, WiFi networks don't broadcast their SSID, making them invisible to devices unless you manually enter the network details. Here’s how you can do that:

1. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi.
2. Click on "Manage known networks" and then "Add a new network."
3. Enter your network name (SSID) and security type manually.

Also, make sure your router is broadcasting the SSID. You can usually check this in the router settings by logging into your router's web interface.

 

[studioskysail]

Hey @throbmedal, I’ve had similar issues in the past and found that sometimes it’s related to the WiFi channel your router is using.
If there’s too much interference on a particular channel, your laptop might not be able to see the network. You can change the WiFi channel in your router settings:

1. Log into your router’s admin page (usually something like 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).
2. Look for the WiFi settings.
3. Change the WiFi channel to a different one (e.g., from channel 6 to channel 11)

 

[ProExperti_29]

Additionally, try forgetting the network on your laptop and reconnecting. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks and select your network and click "Forget." Then, try reconnecting to the network by entering your password again.